meropenem + vancomycin

Meropenem + vancomycin is a combination of two intravenous antibiotics used together, primarily as empirical therapy for severe infections where both broad-spectrum Gram-negative and resistant Gram-positive bacterial coverage are needed. Meropenem is a carbapenem antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity against many Gram-negative and some Gram-positive bacteria, while vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic effective against Gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This combination is often used in critically ill patients or in settings such as pyogenic spondylodiscitis and meningitis when multidrug-resistant organisms are suspected. The combined use increases the risk of nephrotoxicity (acute kidney injury), especially at high doses or with prolonged therapy. No antagonism has been observed between these drugs; their effects can be synergistic or additive against certain pathogens like MRSA.